Bed for railways.



PATENTBD JUNE 27, 1905.

G. M. JAMES.

BED FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1904.

avwanroz 66 0 M James.

Patented June 27, 1905.

ATENT Genes.

GEORGE M. JAMES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BED FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,298, dated June 27, 1905.

Application filed May 24,1904. Serial No. 209.519.

.To It IF/HUN if m /1y (OIL/VJ'IL.

Be it known that I, (1 uonou M. Janus, a

subject of the King of England, residing at Chicago, in the county of (look and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Beds for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in beds for railways; and its object is to provide a device of this character in which the base-flanges of rails are adapted to be fitted and which is provided with means for securely fastening the rails in position.

A further object is to so construct the sections of the bed as to permit the same to interlock and form a continuous metal bed,which serves to support the rails thereon at all points and prevent their sagging or spreading.

\Yith the above and other objects in view the. invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing the pre ferred form of my invention, and in whiclr- Figure I is a plan view of a portion of a road-bed constructed in accordance with my invention and showing rails fastened thereon. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the locklug-blocks.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, l is the section of a metallic bed, the same being preferablyprovided with concaved sides and with apertures whereby the amount of metal necessary in construction of the section is reduced to the minimum. The ends of each section have transversely extending dovetailed grooves 23 therein of sulticicnt width to receive the base-flanges & of rails 5, and formed within the bottom and outer wall of each groove is a recess 6 for the reception of a locking-block 7, preferably substantially rectangular in form. This block has a longitudinally-extending groove 8 inone faee,which is adapted when the block is inserted within the recess to receive the outer base-flange of the rail seated within the groove 3 and hold said rail securely in position within the sec tiou. keeper 9 is pivoted to one end of each block T and is adapted after said block has been inserted into its groove 6 to be seated by gravity within a notch 10 in the adjoining edge of the body 1. The ends of the tie are cut away between the sides thereof, as shown at 11, so as to reduce the amount of metal necessary in the formation of the tie, and it is in the inner edge of this cut-away portion that the notch 10 is formed. The sides of each end of the section are of peculiar construction, one of said sides having a recess I2, the side wall of which is inclined to form an overhanging shoulder 13. The other side of the end of the section has a tongue H, which is similar in form and area to the recess 12.

In arranging the sections herein described the same are placed with their side edges together and with the tongues 14K engaging the recesses 12. Independent movement of the ties is thus pre ented, as they can only be separated by raising them out of engagement with each other. 'hen the sections are secured together, the grooves 3 therein are caused to register. The base-flanges of rails are then inserted into these grooves and are forced against the inner walls of the grooves by the locking-blocks T, which are inserted into recesses 6 and serve to prevent the displacement of the rails. These locking-blocks Tare secured automatically in position because the keepers 9 will fall by gravity into engagement with the notches 10 as soon as they register with them. As the rails are in position over the engaging portions of the sections, it will be understood that the displacement of these sections is absolutely prevented. lVith this arrangement it is unnecessary to use fish-platesorother fastening devices where the ends of rails come together, as the sections are so arranged as to bring the ends of the rails into positions above the centers of the ends of the sections thereunder. As the sections are all connected, a practically solid metallic bed is provided for the rails, and sagging of any portion thereof is prevented.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of my invention; but I do not limit myself thereto, as am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall Within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is- 1. A bed-section formed in a single piece of material having transversel y-grooved ends for the reception of rails, flange-engaging blocks removahly arranged Within the grooves, and means for automatically locking the blocks in said grooves. I

2. A bed-section formed in a single piece of material having transverselygrooved ends for the reception of rails, notches in the ends of the section, flange-engaging blocks removably arranged Within the grooves, and keepers pivoted upon the blocks and adapted to engage the notches.

3. A railway-bed section formed in a single iece of material having transversely-extending, dovetailed rail-receiving grooves at both ends thereof, said ends having'recesses in one side, overhanging shoulders formed by said recesses, and tongues upon the other side of the section and equal in form and area to the recesses.

&. As an article of manufacture, a sectional rail-bed for railroads, the bed-sections having formed integral therewith interlocking means for maintaining a fixed longitudinal relation between the sections, and transversely-extending rail-receiving grooves provided in both ends of each rail-section.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE M. JAMES. WVitnesses:

Lno RAssIEUR, Jr., HEoTon MoKAY. 

